Methods and systems for power management control

Abstract

Methods and systems for control of a power-quality measuring or monitoring device, such as a transfer switch, are provided. An example method includes a transfer-switch controller of a transfer switch receiving an input command from a user. The method further includes, in response to receiving the input command, the transfer-switch controller entering a safe state, wherein in the safe state operational settings of the transfer switch remain unchanged. Still further, the method includes, after entering the safe state, the transfer-switch controller providing, based on operational data specific to the transfer switch, information regarding a feature of the transfer switch.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method comprising:
 a power management controller of a power management device receiving an input command from a user; 
 in response to receiving the input command, the power management controller entering a safe state, wherein in the safe state operational settings of the power management device remain unchanged; and 
 after entering the safe state, the power management controller providing, based on operational data specific to the power management device, information regarding a feature of the power management device. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1  wherein the power management controller comprises a transfer switch controller. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 2 , wherein the operational data comprises current operational settings of the transfer switch. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 2 , wherein the provided information comprises information regarding an interaction of the feature with at least one other feature of the transfer switch. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 2 , wherein the provided information comprises at least one direct effect of the feature on the transfer switch. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 2 , wherein the provided information comprises at least one side effect of the feature on the transfer switch. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 2 , wherein the provided information comprises at least one situation in which the feature may be unavailable. 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 2 , wherein the provided information comprises at least one situation in which the feature may have different behavior based on other settings in the transfer switch. 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 after entering the safe state and prior to providing the information regarding the feature of the transfer switch, (i) prompting a user to select a feature about which the user is interested in receiving information and (ii) receiving a second input command corresponding to a selection of the feature about which the user is interested in receiving information, 
 wherein the feature about which the user is interested in receiving information is the feature of the transfer switch about which the information is provided. 
 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 2 , wherein any user input received during the safe state does not affect operational settings of the transfer switch. 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 2 , wherein the transfer-switch controller providing, based on operational data specific to the transfer switch, information regarding a feature of the transfer switch comprises:
 receiving a second input command corresponding to a hypothetical selected action related to the feature; and 
 providing information regarding an effect of the hypothetical selected action on the transfer switch. 
 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 2 , wherein the hypothetical selected action is a hypothetical change of a setting of the feature. 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 after providing information regarding an effect of the hypothetical change: (i) prompting the user to select whether to make the hypothetical change; 
 (ii) receiving a third input command corresponding to whether the user selected to make the hypothetical change; and 
 (iii) if the user selected to make the hypothetical change, (a) the transfer-switch controller leaving the safe state and (b) changing the settings of the feature based on the hypothetical change, but if the user selected to not make the hypothetical change, the transfer-switch controller (a) not changing the settings of the feature and (b) remaining in the safe state. 
 
     
     
       14. A method comprising:
 a transfer-switch controller of a transfer switch receiving an input command from a user; 
 in response to receiving the input command, the transfer-switch controller entering a safe state, wherein in the safe state operational settings of the transfer switch remain unchanged; and 
 after entering the safe state, the transfer-switch controller providing information regarding a feature of the transfer switch. 
 
     
     
       15. The method  claim 14 , wherein the provided information comprises information selected from the group consisting of: information regarding an interaction of the feature with at least one other feature of the transfer switch, at least one direct effect of the feature on the transfer switch, at least one side effect of the feature on the transfer switch, at least one situation in which the feature may be unavailable, and at least one situation in which the feature may have different behavior based on other settings in the transfer switch. 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 14 , wherein any user input received during the safe state does not affect operational settings of the transfer switch. 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 after entering the safe state, (i) receiving a second input command corresponding to a hypothetical selected action related to the feature and (ii) the transfer-switch controller providing 
 information regarding an effect of the hypothetical selected action on the transfer switch.